Unforeseen Attacks

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|| CHAPTER 11 | Unforeseen Attacks ||

"Now then, we've arri–– hmm? Why do I keep calling you 'little,' you asked? Why, it's because I'm much older than you, of course.

"No matter how old you are as we read this tale, I am older than you by thousands of years, if you would like to know.

"Hahaha, forget what I spoke of. Now, this part of the story will tell us about how the Grand Summoner offers her promises. The duty she bears with the title she carries–– she may be young, but... she's stronger than anyone I know."

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Shizuka said nothing as she comforted the perplexed Keeper. She opened her eyes, revealing not her usual crystal-blue orbs, but glowing xanthous ones instead.

"Seimei-san...."

Breaking the hug, the said Keeper looked at the younger girl with his glassy violaceous eyes, hearing his name being called.

He couldn't see her clearly through his blurred vision, but he could tell that she was smiling ever-so-brightly. His eyes stung from the salty tears and the corners of those visions of his were reddened after being rubbed so many times to get rid of the liquid falling down his cheeks.

Seimei couldn't bring himself to smile along as an odd feeling continued to linger in the back of his mind.

"How about you form a contract with me…?"

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The silence loomed there for a minute. Seimei blinked once, then twice. His lips quivered as he parted them, stuttering when he hesitantly replied, "... F-Forgive me... Did I hear that right...? You want to form a contract with me, Shizuka-san?"

"Uh-huh," the said girl answered immediately without hesitation. Shizuka nodded confidently, but her softened smile failed to assure the Keeper whilst he's still doubting.

"B-But... is that even possible, Shizuka-san...?" Seimei frowned. "I'm bound to this Magic Space. There is no way to get out until it served its purposes. I believe that it's... impossible."

"Seimei-san~ Nothing is impossible if you dream big~!!"

Shizuka beamed brightly towards the purple-eyed male with a wide-eyed smile. She took a small step forward, emphasizing her sentence.

"But... how?? I studied every spell that has ever existed... Even though I'm bound here, I know well that those kinds of spells do not exist, Shizuka-san."

There was a slight disappointment in his voice. Seimei's eyes closed for a while before he opened them slowly.

Half-lidded eyes were looking downwards at his bare feet. Head bowing and shoulders tensed; Shizuka didn't know what to do to comfort him.

She was hesitant as well.

However, remembering the reason behind her offer, Shizuka pulled herself together and took a deep breath.

"Are you sure? I'm quite convinced that you do not study original magics, though." She gave the Keeper a closed-eye smile–– a bright yet reassuring grin.

She continued, "I believe that original magic is one's most valuable possession. Outsiders wouldn't be able to learn them quite easily, even with the help of the creator.

"A magic created from one's imaginations and abilities, allowing them to use their knowledge and magic to the fullest. I know that none had studied the foundations of the origins, noting only how they were formed and made, not how they work."

Shizuka's explanation clicked something in his head. Lifting his head quickly, Seimei stared at the girl with wide eyes. "Y-You mean––"

"Yep!! Exactly what you think it is~!! Soooo..."

Pausing a little, she continued her words, "I'll ask again, Seimei-san: Do you want to form a contract with me?"

Smiling gently, Shizuka held out her right hand towards the male, waiting for his response. Seimei's eyes widened and he pursed his lips, biting the bottom part.

"I....."

Before the Keeper could answer, the portal he cast had begun to shrink every second that had passed. This caused her to change her focus to the portal, reversing her gold orbs back to blue.

"Ehhh? U-Uhh, Seimei-san––?! Why in Gaia's name is it shrinking?!!"

"I-I knew not of what's happening," the Keeper frantically replied, attempting to remain calm while keeping Shizuka's smaller form behind him. "My spell was supposed to keep time frozen in place–– no one has been able to break it before."

"Huh…? Then––"

Her sentence was cut short by sudden loud crashes and yells coming from the side of the portal. A part of her questioned if it was even possible to hear sounds from a portal. However, now's not the time.

The two individuals exchanged worried looks before nodding firmly. Shizuka turned around and gave a small 'goodbye,' immediately jumping into the portal behind them.

Her petite form was enveloped slowly by the portal's blue mist, consuming her whole figure and swallowed her without any trace left.

Seimei's portal closed and the white Space began to rumble. It was as if the Space's alive and was asking for something to be fed, hungry and empty.

Growling lowly, the Space between two different places had yet to cease its quiver.

The white-headed spirit held onto the white walls of the Space for support, composing himself and trying not to panic at the abrupt turn of events.

Suddenly, the white walls behind him broke, connecting the place with the darkened outside world. His eyes widened in surprise.

This had never happened before.

None of the other Keepers had experienced their Spaces getting breached–– may it be from the inside or even the outside world.

Seimei frowned and bit his bottom lip. 'Did my medium got destroyed? No, the flames shouldn't die down that easily... Then, who––'

There were lurking shadows of an unknown group striding in casually, wearing cloaks that even hid their looks. Their tensioning presence was enough to convince the Keeper that they're not someone he could trust.

Their sudden appearance caused the yellowish-white-haired male to somewhat staggered back a bit, whispering commands and chants that only he would know.

Rows of gold chains that tied him up before reappeared around him under his command. Flailing like snakes, the chains steadied themselves and transformed.

The commanded chains now had sharp edges at each end. Their guards were up and the purple-eyed spirit quickly positioned himself for an attack.

However, before Seimei could do so, he was stopped by a deep, gruff voice. It was unfamiliar and chilling, stabbing one's soul to its core.

"Well, well, well... If it isn't the Keeper of the kakusareta katakonbe~?" the owner of the voice mocked. "Ah, the hidden catacombs... It's been centuries since I last visited. That's not a very nice greet to your old friend now, eh~? Seimei no Seigyo-ki."

Gritting his teeth, Seimei knew to not spill anything that those outsiders might want. Whatever it was that they needed from him, he had several guesses as to what they're after.

Nothing's better than a piece of top-secret information, after all.

Especially from catacombs filled with hidden keys to the other realms.

And some blood of young heirs to add to that.

"Who are you? How did you break my spell and how did you know my title?" Seimei exclaimed with wary. The gentleness in his voice from before was gone. It's now replaced by a firm and an angered tone.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down, buddy. How can you not recognize your brother?" the mysterious man spoke jokingly and he brought his hood down, revealing his face to the boy.

The menacing grin he displayed and the glowering look he gave sent shivers to the poor Keeper. Faltering in his stance, Seimei's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You're…!"

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Shizuka came out of the other side only to find a battle going on, the portal behind her closed completely. Surprised at the sudden disappearance of the portal, a part of Shizuka wondered if Seimei was all right on the other side.

She DID sense mana that was coming their way earlier but paid them no mind, thinking that they belonged to travelling mages or magic-wielding adventurers.

Pursing her lips, thousands of random thoughts ran through the female's head. She knew not to worry too much–– but leaving Seimei alone wasn't exactly her intention.

A voice then snapped her out of her stupor, sounding loud and clear. "Shizu! Where were you?! We're worried sick when you didn't show up from the portal!"

"Kazu-nii?" Shizuka muttered in confirmation and her eyes widened at the sight of her frantic brother. "What happened?"

Greeted by Kazuto's concerned yell and a falling apart cave, blue eyes examined the room.

The place was huge, maybe bigger than the white Space they were in before. Perhaps the place was probably as big as the ballroom back in the Royal Palace.

It almost looked like an underground city with all the statues and spiky stones poking around. Some of the statues were similar to those at school, while others were unrecognizable to the girl.

There were big rocks, debris, and rubbles everywhere because of the fight. In front of the platinum-blonde Ichijou were her family, the Ichimori Clan, and the Ichisaki Clan. They were in a fighting stance against a cloaked group of unknown individuals.

Before Shizuka could even react or process what was going on, two enigmatic individuals charged at her and Kazuto, with the buffer one attacking her brother. No one got time to help the two get on their feet as they're also having their own battles. Faring against a cloaked group wasn't particularly enjoyable in Shizuka's book.

The crystalline-blue-eyed female got separated from the others and her brother because of the charged attack. She was thrown to the far end of the place, away from the others.

"Argh––!!"

Grunting in pain, Shizuka stood up quickly from the female's attack. Yes, the unknown person was a female.

Her long, wavy auburn hair was visible as it was outside her hood. She also had a large bust, confirming that she is obviously a grown woman. Though, looks can be deceiving. Shizuka wasn't sure whether the woman in front of her used an illusion spell on herself or not.

Shizuka quickly observed. Azure orbs travelling on the woman's body from one point to another, taking notes of her appearance.

The auburn-haired female was wearing a dirty-green cloak, with her autumn-stained locks out of the hood. Her hood was still covering her face though, making Shizuka unable to see it.

She was holding a black scythe with a rusty white handle. The sharp edges were carved with blackened flowers that caught Shizuka's attention the most.

'A reaper's scythe? How in Gaia's name did she get her hands on one of those weapons? Wait–– is that blood coming out of it?! Why in Gaia's name is it black?!'

Shizuka's amazement at the weapon was replaced by shock upon seeing blood dripping out of the carved flowers, black types of blood to be exact. She was brought back from her thoughts when the auburn girl aimed her scythe at the younger girl.

'No, no, no. Snap out of it Shizuka! It's not time to be admiring weapons, FOCUS!!!' Shizuka rolled out of the way and barely dodged the scythe.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHH!! WHY DO YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY, SMIDGEN LITTLE FOX?? COME AND FIGHT ME!!" the woman screamed while launching at the younger girl. Her hood fell, revealing pale-yellow eyes and a maniacal look on her ageing face.

"Hah... What a waste... You have such nice hair and body too..."

'That's what you're thinking??!!' the people around them thought in disbelief, 'accidentally' dropping in on their conversation that was NOT so quiet.

"HAHAHHAHAHAHHAAHHAH!! I care not for your opinion, you disgusting dogs. NOW, ENTERTAIN ME, WILL YOU?"

"And yes, I will~" the crystal-blue-eyed female replied, wearing a confident smile on her face. Glancing back at her other siblings and Spirit Wielders, she smiled.

'Well, I think they can handle their fights by themselves while I handle this one,' she thought while closing her blue eyes.

The moment she opened her eyes, they turned to gold.

Slit pupils and sharpened gaze.

–– portraying the eyes of a fox.

Shizuka ran around, avoiding the older woman's attacks, while also avoiding others' battles. She jumped from rocks to rocks smoothly and elegantly, that it seemed like she was dancing.

"Your disgusting kind will always be despised by me. You're all dogs that served the Sun God for life," the woman began mockingly, glowering at Shizuka's running form.

"You kill, kill, and kill. YOU'RE SINFUL, JUST LIKE US. And yet, you prayed for those you killed. I'm amazed that you DARE to even challenge ME?"

"Excuse me?? You're the one who started it." Shizuka deadpanned, running backwards and faced the maniacal woman.

Though, she couldn't blame her for spouting nonsense. That woman's crazy enough to be listed in her book of 'unique' enemies she had encountered.

They kept going at it, ignoring the others.

Shizuka's smile didn't falter one bit and she kept going around the place at a fast pace. The older woman was following behind her, swinging her scythe while keeping in mind to aim at the girl.

"Why are you running away?!?!"

"Woman, YOU'RE the one who chased me first!!" Shizuka yelled back, a bit annoyed by the odd logic the woman's spouting. Nonsense was all they were.

"FIGHT ME!! ARE YOU PLAYING AROUND WITH ME, YOU DAMNED FOX?!?!"

|| CHAPTER 11 | Unforeseen Attacks - To be continued... ||

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